Turning an idea to help stressed out students into a business has helped two Merthyr Tydfil teenagers become part of a unique challenge helping coach and mentor Wales’ next top entrepreneurs.

Giorgio Baglioni and Jordan Coates, both 17, were selected with 22 other young entrepreneurs to be part of the Big Ideas Wales Challenge following a tough audition process.

Last weekend, they attended a three-day bootcamp in Carmarthenshire led by some of Wales’ top entrepreneurs and business people.

They were both part of a team from The College

Over the next year, Giorgio and Jordan, who are launching Stress Less, a business to help students with exam stress, will attend regular board meetings and events with their peers and entrepreneurs to receive coaching, network and access business support.

They were both part of a team from The College Merthyr Tydfil who won last year’s Wales finals of the Global Entrepreneurship Challenge and went on to the international finals in Berlin.

This year, the bootcamp and challenge was ramped up with more intense workshops and sessions delivered by some of Wales’ top entrepreneurs to empower young people to grow and develop their businesses, helping accelerate their ambitions.

poll loading

Would you like to run your own business?

0+ VOTES SO FAR

The challenge members have already been through a tough audition process. Existing entrepreneurs interviewed them and decided who should go through to the challenge.

Giorgio, from Cyfarthfa Park, said: “I’d heard about Big Ideas Wales and thought I’d apply to see what it was and how it could help me.”

“I was put through my paces at the audition to demonstrate what my business is about and how determined I am to make it successful. The bootcamp was inspirational and pushed me to really think about how I can develop the business. It truly was amazing.”

Jordan, from Twynrodyn, added: “The advice and presentations have been invaluable and I’m looking forward to working with the entrepreneurs and mentors at the monthly board meetings to maintain that inspiration.”

'The bootcamp will drive their ambition'

James Taylor, of Cardiff-based SuperStars and the Big Ideas Wales Programme Ambassador, said: “We wanted to take the challenge up a notch after the success of last year’s and so we have been much more selective this time, only choosing businesses with growth potential that have started up in the past year.

“The bootcamp and ongoing challenge will drive their ambition and success and we as entrepreneurs will be able to guide and coach them and their businesses.

“It’s a unique, almost a once in a lifetime experience for those who have reached this stage. We hope these young people and their businesses will develop into high growth enterprises and become significant businesses in Wales.”